1. Field of the Invention
The bitterness of Ukon or turmeric derivatives are removed by fermenting it with red koji mold and a starch to break down the bitter water-insoluble essential oil components and other macromolecular substances into water soluble lower molecular weight substances, while adjusting its beneficial effect on liver functions, increasing antioxidant characteristics, etc., and while retaining curcumin. The known process is modified to simplify and improve the steps of the process.
2. Description of Related Art
Ukon or turmeric is a plant of the ginger family, that includes curcumin, cultivated in places such as India, South East Asia, China and Okinawa. In recent years, accompanying the sophistication of the diet and foods consumed, is an increase in the active oxygen generated in our bodies. The result has been an increase in the formation of oxidant lipids and the like. It has been observed that patients with metabolic disorders, arteriosclerosis and the like are increasing. Accordingly, there is a pressing need to provide methods for preventing these disorders.
Ukon or turmeric has been used as the principal ingredient of curry powder. It has been the focus in recent years as a natural plant material that has efficacy in improving liver and other body functions. Ukon is a hardy or long-lived plant which is cultivated mainly in the tropical to semitropical regions of India, Southeast Asia, China, Okinawa and the like. Ukon includes components of curcumin, and essential oils. It has been used as a type of eastern medicine for a long time as a remedy for hepatitis, nephritis, cholangitis, cholecystolithiasis, gastritis and the like. However, Ukon has a characteristic bitter taste and the problem is that it is difficult to eat it as it is and to use it over a long period of time.
In Japanese Laid Open patent publication 8-214825, a manufacturing method for Ukon foodstuff discloses that residue from refined grains and saccharides can be added to Ukon, after which lactic acid bacteria or lactic acid bacteria and yeast are added as a culture medium that causes fermentation. Specifically, the root stalk of Ukon is dried, and residue from refined grains of rice bran, wheat bran, and the like are added to it along with saccharides; lactic acid bacteria of Streptococcus, Samofirus, and Lactobacillus, or lactic acid bacteria and yeast as a culture medium for fermenting the Ukon. After fermentation, it is heat dried. There are problems in this production method. There is insufficient removal of the bitter component characteristic of Ukon, the amount of curcumin, which is presumed to have an improved effect on the liver function, is reduced, and the lactic acid bacteria used for fermenting the Ukon is easily polluted by other bacteria, that kills or easily destroys it. Because of this, the fermentation process needs to be performed in a short period of time. Also, the fermentation process using lactic acid bacteria results in a Ukon foodstuff which does not have a good anti-oxidant characteristic, it does not control active oxygen.
Japanese Patent Application No. 112085 filed Apr. 22, 1998 for “Manufacturing Method of Ukon Foodstuff” applicant Tetsuo Itokazu and inventor Yoshihito Sadoyama, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process of fermenting Ukon to remove its bitter components by reducing their molecular weights. The Ukon is prepared by cleaning and heat treating it until its moisture content is reduced to 10% by weight. It is then ground until it has a particle size of from 2-4 mm. The Ukon is then mixed with a mineral, that can be Magnesium Sulfate or Potassium Nitrate; a starch that can be polished rice, whole grained rice, wheat, millet, kaoliang, buckwheat, corn, soybean, azuki bean, or their sugars, bran or germ; a saccharide, that can be glucose, fructose, sucrose, or galactose. The by weight mix per 100 weight of Ukon is starch 1-20 weight, red yeast 0.5-10 weight, saccharides 0.1-10 weight, minerals 0.1-1.0 weight with water added at 60° C. until it makes up 50-75% of the mix weight.
The mix is then sterilized in a pressure cooker at 60-120° C. from 0.1-100 hrs. at 1.1 atmospheres.
The mix is then cooled and a red yeast, that can be Monascus anka, is added and if not previously regulated, it is injected with a second mold of the Monascus genus, that can be Monascus anka, Monascus pilosus, Monascus ruber, etc., and fermented at 25-40° C. for 5-100 hours.
After fermentation it is heat dried at 60-100° C. for 0.1-100 hours and the moisture content reduced to about 3%. The bitter components are shown to be reduced by smell, taste, curcumin content and DPPH tests.